Sultana

OK, I can't get access to making a journal, and I'm limited on time, so I'll post here.
#1: Oct. 3, 2005:
OMG! I just wrote up this beautifully detailed message and it was deleted when I tried to spell check it! Moral: never spell check in Egypt.

OK, sorry, I have only 20 minutes left, it's the middle of the night here, and I'm locked in a filthy internet cafe with two guys I don't know--and I'm glad to be here! I haven't had internet access before now.

OK, quick story:
After about 17 hours of travel, Air France lost Jack's luggage. Just found out today they went on strike. 5 other's luggage was also lost. Unhappiness. Our camera chargers (and Jack's phone charger) was in Jack's luggage (not my idea, lol).

God, the other email was so great, I hardly have the heart to re-do it.

After spending 4 more hours in the airport for the one piece of paper needed to make the loss official (Welcome to Cairo!), we went straight to a fancy dinner club (in our travel clothing of the past 24 hours). Had great food, saw a terrific belly dance show. I mean terrific.

Next day we toured the Citadel, where Muhammed Ali and Saladin are buried. A few of the ladies including myself had to wear a green superhero cape to be allowed in the mosque (To cover our revealing Wester clothes).
When I entered the site through the everpresent metal detectors that always go off and no one ever stops anyone at, the guard smiled hugely and said to me, "Your top...is very small." Uhhhh yeah. I was wearing a sweater over it!!

After that we toured the MindBlowing AMAZING Egyptian Museum, where we saw the famous mask of Tut, and his coffin of solid gold, among many many other incredible trinkets. Toured the Mummy Room. Tried to get accustomed to haveing to tip someone every time we use the facilities. Yes, they're in there, waiting for you!

Then we went to Khan el Khalili, the 100-yr-old bazaar. I was too overwhelmed to shop--astounding, yes.

Then I and several others went to a famous belly dance costume maker's apt. I ordered something custome, who knows what scandelous costume I'll get!

From there we boarded the train. Our sleepers were roughly the size of my closet. No lie. No one slept. It was hard.

In the morning we arrived in Aswan. We toured the Ruins of Philea, and can I tell you , the instant I laid eyes on the 30-foot-high figures, the ancient hieroglyphs...it's all worth it. I touched the carven hand of Isis. I hugged the stone lion guardians. I over-tipped the local natives who rushed into every photo shoot and asked for baksheesh (tips). But hey, one taught me how to wrap the perfect turban for this 110+ degree, 75% humidity weather.

We're now ensconced on the boat. I've been running and running. I'm literally falling asleep here at the keyboard, so I'll try to give you a better re-write tomorrow if I get the chance. I didn't even get to tell you how I was chased by a cabbie driver and his horse, lol!

I'm thinking of you all, and...yeah. I am! You can't make me not, you are not the boss of me. :P

Gotta go, getting kicked out.

HUGS

__________________
"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath.
At night, the ice weasels come." -

Matt Groening

My goal? To fulfill my potential.

Sultana

#2: Today...I don't what day today is. I think it's Thursday.

Hey everybody! Honestly, I've been grabbing every opportunity for internet, and today was exactly opportunity #2. :P

Last we heard from our heros, they were in Aswan, yes? The night I wrote the last email, I paid for all my future sins in advance. I was horribly, horribly ill. Sadly, I missed the extra tour of Abu Simble (sp?). I could barely get myself out of bed, I don't remember the last time I hurt that badly. Tummy problems, but not what you think. I'll leave it at that. I actually am not fully recovered until tonight, was left very weak. But I march on. We're in Luxor now. Comparatively the Big City, yes?

So the cruising on the Nile has been very nice. It's a small boat, but nicely appointed. Still can't drink the water though, including teeth-brushing. We're going though amazing amounts of bottled water.

Since that last email we've been to 7-10 different monuments/places including the Temple of Horus and the Crocodile god whose name escapes me at the moment(night tour, wonderful) - they had mummified crocs, Temple at Kom Bombo, the Luxur temple (again, at night. It gives chills, with the dramatic lighting and all. Plus it's much cooler). In the evening we went to a papyrus factory. It was rather like a time share presentation, ha!

Today we toured the Valley of the Kings, including the very actual tomb of King Tut!!! (70 Egyptian pounds extra, lol.) as well as Al-Deir Al-Bahari Temple (commissioned by Queen Hapsutshut, the only woman to rule Egypt in her own name), and Karnak Temple, which is more like a temple complex, 55 acres of different temples and assorted buildings, statues, and obelisques (sp?). It was about 115 degrees at noon, and we were dying. Oh! I tried a lovely mango ice cream called Squizz. It's good. :P

After Karnak we went to an alabaster factory/store, it was another time share sales thing, lol! But I did get a little basalt statue of a goddess I'm rather keen on, but I don't remember her name just now. Lion-headed lady, haven't seen much of her around this southern part of Egypt. Apparently she and Bast were more popular in the Northern part of the country. Too bad.
The best part of the store was that there was a little village around it. Of course the men approached me with useless bits of alabaster, "as a gift," after the presentation of which they wanted a tip. Now I've been tipping frequently and generously for everything from TP to un-asked-for turban-wrapping lessons, but they're gonna have to do better than giving me a dirty rock, you know? And that's when the kids came out. They stay a distance away, but point to their mouths, indicating they want our American snacks. I brought out a giant pack of gum, and in a nanosecond I was swamed by children, all grabbing for the pack. Like any good ex-PE teacher I made the universal disapproving ah ah ahh! noises, and luckily, as I was taller than them, managed to get the pack evenly distributed, even to the tiny 2-year old who was too shy to come all the way to me. Biggest brown eyes I've ever seen! I also handed out several pens to the kiddies, who no doubt ran off to graffiti the monuments out back. Ah well.

It's true, they all like gum and pens, but in some cities, we get reproachful looks if we dare to give away the inferior capped kind. Apparently the status pen of choice is "Automatic", and they're as good as money.

By the way, the exchange rate here is $1= 5.75 Egyptian Pounds.

We are not going to get Jack's luggage back before the end of the trip, have I mentioned that? *sigh* Oh well.

It's kinda funny, we still have 4-5 more days to go, and yet I feel like I've been here for a much longer time, lol. I don't mean that in a bad way, but man, we've lived at least three days in one 24-hour cycle every single day we've been here.
It's been a lot more like camping than I would have thought. :P

We're taking a sleeper train (oh joy. Really, should be called the No Sleep Whatsoever train, lol!) back to Cairo in a few hours, and I think I may be able to carve out a few more emails then. We'll have a lot more free time - which I plan to spend a significant amount of in the giant freaking bazaar, hello? :P

I should mention here that Jack is sending his own separate email, I think he is dissatisified with mine, ha.

I guess I'll stop here. As much as I know you all pine for my communiques, I don't want to abuse you. Too much. OK, I do, but I have a chance at a hot dinner soon, and I don't want to blow it.

Miss you guys!

__________________
"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath.
At night, the ice weasels come." -

Matt Groening

My goal? To fulfill my potential.

amonkie

Sounds like you're having a great time regardless of all the bumps . ... I'll be watching this thread

__________________
Calling from deep in the heart, from where the eyes can't see and the ears can't hear, from where the mountain trails end and only love can go... ~~~ Three Rivers Hare Krishna

jwoody

Don't forget to breathe, Sultana.

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kramus

I love the way you are able to soak in your experience Sultana Day and night tours - experiencing the places full of life and the places dedicated to someone's death thousands of years ago. Planes, trains and river craft. Plus things you just don't have the time to mention. I am glad you are having the trip of a lifetime Sultana. Of course, any trip worth it's salt has a downside to accent the positives (lost luggage, illness, weather, importunate locals). But you are definitely having an amazing time

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And now to disengage the clutch of the forebrain ...
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Sultana

Installment #3:
Wow, a post a day, you guys are gonna get spoiled for sure. But I have to keep this one short, I'm due for a fitting with the costumer in a bit. I'm so excited to see how my idea is interpreted by her. I have to remember to ask her to make some sequinned banana appliques for me. Not Kidding (I know you wish I was!).

OK, the sleeper train itself wasn't too bad this time, but ohmigawd the station looked like it had been bombed--half the concrete flooring broken up and in chunksm rebar sticking out, thick thick clouds of dust pervading the air. Violence? No. Welcome to upgrades, Cairo-style. Apparently it's been in progress for several years now.

So straight off the bus this morning we toured the 3,000 year old pyramids at Memphis/Sakkara. They are the oldest pyramids discovered thus far in Egypt, I believe. Thousands of years before Christ. And in every nook and cranny lurk the trinket sellers. I have mastered the art of dismissing unwanted salesmen (and they're all men), and I've been trying to teach some of the others how as well. It's so funny to see them leave at a few words from me, but they will *hound* the others unmercifully. It's all in the confident attitude, baby. After this, I'm gonna be well-equipped to handle anything the LA garment district can dish out.

Oh, and then afterwards we went to a carpet weaving school, complete with kids working the looms. Now before you get your panties in a wad, read on: The kids work 4 hours a day, get schooled 4-5 hours a day, get paid for their work, etc. It's not a sweat shop (that I saw, anyways), and I was allowed to talk to them and offer the kids (aged 8-15) gum and pens. What did they ask for instead? Cigarettes. Yeah.
Anyways, it seems a better alternative than the other kids I saw working herding goats or sheep, or selling trinkets to strangers, barefoot in the mud, no hope for education. The carpet kids were clean, fed, all that. and they got to work in a clean, protected environment. So...I'm sure there are many sweatshops elsewhere, but that's not what I witnessed at this place.

Oh guess what? We got Jack's luggage back today! I unpacked it and rummaged through, felling like a Survivor challenge winner: Allergy meds! Antibiotics! A thingy that will stick on you and warm your back! And most of all CAMERA AND PHONE CHARGERS! It was an amazing feeling, being so excited over a bottle of pepto bismol...

Well, time to hit the bank before the fitting. Still enjoying myself here, but yes, I'm looking forward to home as well. Someone mentioned cheeseburgers on the bus, and my stomache growled audibly, lol! So fire up your BBQs for when we return.

*hugs to all*
Renee

__________________
"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath.
At night, the ice weasels come." -

Matt Groening

My goal? To fulfill my potential.

fresnelly

What a wonderfully rich experience you are having! It's amazing to think that all of those sights, sounds and smells stretch back thousands of years. I can imagine you fending off trinket sellers in 500BC, perfectly at home. Can't wait for more updates!

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Building an artificial intelligence that appreciates Mozart is easy. Building an A.I. that appreciates a theme restaurant is the real challenge - Kit Roebuck - Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life

aberkok

Glad to hear you're having such an alive time Sultana. I've been reading your log and am very excited to hear about it. It's awesome that you are meeting so many real people there and getting a feel for the way the people live.

Looking forward to talking to you in chat again and hope your journeys are safe.

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Sultana

Installment #4, final one from the road:

It's midnight in Cairo on Sunday, which means it's Sunday 2-ish in Cali, yes? We're gettng ready to leave for the airport in about 3.5 hours. Still don't have my costumes...apparently the designer's brother is on the way. No Problem! But I got to see them/try them on last night...oh boyo. This is gonna be so hot. The custom one wasn't finished, but I like the direction it was headed at that point, and I trust the designer, so there you go.

I had a 2-hour dance class with the world-famous Raqia Hassan today, it was wonderful! Afterwards I cruised the streets of Cairo and the bazaar with friends and by myself, it was great. I really enjoy Cairo, which is surprising...I don't usually enjoy the big cities of the countries I've traveled to. But I feel completely safe, the people are wonderful, and believe it or not, I groove on the driving. I think I could do it, and if I return for any length of time, I just might give it a try. It makes sense (to me), it has a rhythym.

We just returned from a Zar, which is a...releasing of energy via chants and music and dance. Very very ancient. We took part, didn't just watch the musicians. It was interesting, surrendering to the group energy, but it's basically like really getting your groove on in a dance club. Madern zar, yeah.

Yesterday Kat and I made our way to the bazaar, but ended upon the wrong side of the street. Instead of crossing, we poked around the food displays there, and a gentleman approached us. His name is Ali, and he told us we were in the Egyptian section, where the Egyptians shopped, but not the tourists. He said we should stay there, we'd see real Egyptian life, not just the tourist traps. Ali ended up escorting us to a spice shop where Kat *finally* got to buy some spices (as did I, but not near as many). After the Spice shop, the son of the owner decided to come with us, and the four of us wandered around the streets we kept seeing and driving by on the roads and highways, but never went down. It was fantastic! We could point out things and ask any question..."What does that banner say?" "Who is on that poster?", and they encouraged our questions. They took us to the workshops where the handcrafted items were made to be sold to the Egyptians who can tell real stuff from the cheapie tourist trinkets. Eventually they asked if we wanted to break the Ramadan fast with them (as it was that time, it's important to do it at the appointed time), and we did. We sat across from the "poor table" where free food was made available to the poor of Cairo in that area so everyone could fulfill the religious obligation by eating at sundown. It was beautifully decorated and the tables were filled with food just as good as everyone else at the restaurant across the street. A guy handed out packages of 3 dates to everyone, and Ali said it was a tradition to break fast with 3 dates first, as that's what the prophet Muhammed ate when he broke his fast long ago. We ate, we talked about belly dance, politics, world affairs, religion--all the things your mother told you not to discuss at the dinner table, especially with Middle Eastern people, LOL! Eventually we had to return to the hotel for the Sufi show (whirling dervishes), and we parted as friends. The Sufi show was amazing, but I'll have to fill you in on that later, I need to see what is going on with the costumes. Plus I'm tired, heh. I haven't slept more than 5-6 hours any night since I left. I'm going to be GREAT company when I return.

We are due to land in LAX about 3:30pm Monday. I hope to be home around 5-5:30, but that's only if everything goes on time. When the Paris airport is involved, that's a slender hope. Cross your fingers for us.


Take care, chat at you soon,

__________________
"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath.
At night, the ice weasels come." -

Matt Groening

My goal? To fulfill my potential.

amonkie

Getting to meet locals the way you were able would be my dream in any city I visit ... sooo glad to see this is the case with you as well... AND that you got the experience ... See ya when you're home, girl

__________________
Calling from deep in the heart, from where the eyes can't see and the ears can't hear, from where the mountain trails end and only love can go... ~~~ Three Rivers Hare Krishna

shesus

Sultana, I can't believe I missed this until now and now you're coming home. I was wondering how your trip was going and you were documenting it right here and where was I...lost obviously. Well, it sounds like you had a wonderful time! I look forward to chatting with you when you get home and I really hope your trip back is less eventful than your trip there. Be safe!

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Whatever did happen to your soul?
I heard you sold it

Choose Heaven for the weather and Hell for the company

Sultana

I'm home. Exhausted. Covered in mosquito bites from the knees down. Not attractive, nor comfortable.
But I'm very happy to be home, even though I plan on going to work tomorrow. Yeah, WTF? I have no vacation time left. In fact, I'm in the red until next year as it is. But that's life.

*hugs*

__________________
"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath.
At night, the ice weasels come." -

Matt Groening

My goal? To fulfill my potential.

tecoyah

Welcome home Sultry....and many thanx for the journal. I am sure we will have questions for ya in Chat.

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Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. - Buddha